He Fa on Rancière

The trouser hems fall into a few natural folds; the brown lace-up shoes have not been trimmed into an abstract straight line. A broad jacket, purple-red striped shirt and rectangular belt buckle divide the body into sections. On He Fa, Rancière's outfit retains its full length down to the ground. I want to begin with the hems, because many demands for equality must eventually meet a particular piece of ground.

Requiring everyone's trousers to be the same length is easiest to arrange, but not necessarily suitable to wear. Bodily differences turn the same number into different constraints: some hems drag, others expose too much, and the wearers are then asked to correct their failure to meet the standard. Uniformity saves trouble for those making the arrangements, while its costs are often borne by those entering the rules.

But merely saying everyone's circumstances differ may also prevent coordination from ever beginning. Meetings need times, work needs minimum conditions, and shared space cannot be entirely redrawn according to personal wishes. I would rather distinguish common goals from adjustable ways of reaching them: the same form need not be the only way to help people actually arrive; ensuring safety need not trim every body into the same outline.

He Fa's broad cheeks and ordinary build have not turned the loose jacket into a perfect template. This departure from the model lets me ask whether the standard permits revision. If only those familiar with the rules can request an exception, adjustment itself becomes a privilege. The entrance must be clear enough for those less skilled at explaining themselves to know what they can ask for as well.

A few folds at the hem do not disqualify someone from standing. I am willing to begin here: let the soles settle firmly on the ground, then discuss whether the lines are crisp. If a shared place can receive these different lengths, equality acquires one more place where it has already happened, beyond a welcome hung on the door.